In the end, Cristiano Ronaldo was smiling.
More records in his back pocket and Portugal’s Euro 2020 campaign up and running with victory against a stubborn Hungary side in Budapest.
The Juventus superstar is the first man to net in five European Championships and in the process became competition’s outright all-time leading goalscorer with his 10th and 11th goals.
But for so long, on a largely frustrating day at the Ferenc Puskas Arena, it looked like his uncharacteristic first-half misfires would prove costly.
Fernando Santos’ men dominated throughout, but only found their shooting boots in the last 10 minutes, and had Raphael Guerreiro, the diminutive left-back, to thank for breaking Hungary’s resistance.
Then Ronaldo took over and sealed the victory with two typically cool finishes, one from the penalty spot and one after sauntering onto the end on a fine team move.
(Image: Getty Images)
Portugal had started in confident mood, with Diogo Jota joining Ronaldo in an attacking trident that also featured Fernandes and Bernardo Silva.
Just five minutes in, Ronaldo made his displeasure with Jota crystal clear after the Liverpool man elected to shoot from 20 yards when he could have played his captain clean through.
Shortly after, Jota had another opportunity, but put his effort was well wide after meeting Fernandes’ free kick.
The hosts were shorn of Dominic Szoboszlai, the firecracker midfielder whose goals were crucial in qualifying, through injury, and struggled to get any real foothold early doors in an attacking sense.
Ronaldo saw his first chance go begging after 19 minutes, floating in behind the Hungary defence, but not connecting cleanly and seeing his effort stopped by Gulacsi; the assistant referee’s flag did go up, but replays showed the 36-year-old had timed his run well.
Man City’s Bernardo fired just wide before Hungary captain Szalai headed straight down Patricio’s throat with his first chance.
Two minutes before the break came Ronaldo’s real big moment, meeting a devilish ball in from Fernandes but somehow contriving to miss from point-blank range. He couldn’t believe it…nor could those in attendance who had held their breath expecting the net to bulge.
Having dominated the first half Portugal continued to do so once more in the second period, and Fernandes thought he had found the net just after the hour mark – only for Gulacsi to make a superb fingertip stop.
Ronaldo appealed in vain for handball against Attila Fiola, but VAR was having none of it, before the home crowd erupted as substitute Szabolcs Schon found the net – only to be shown to be well offside in the build up, his effort subsequently being chalked off.
It didn’t look like it would be Portugal’s day – until Borussia Dortmund left-back Guerreiro found himself open in the penalty area, and saw his effort ricochet off Willi Orban and into the net.
(Image: Getty Images)
Minutes later, Orban pulled down Rafa Silva and Ronaldo stepped up, ruthlessly finding the net for his 10th European Championship goal and his 105th for his country.
A magnificent team goal in the 92nd minute would round things off nicely, Ronaldo sweeping home his 106th Portugal goal and 11th goal at a Euro finals.
Ominiously in the so-called group of death, Europe’s greatest-ever goalscorer and the holders are up and running.
